Groundhog's Day and Several, Bad First Dates
by Sybil Rowan
Summary: What if Jet is stuck reliving his birthday over-and-over because Albert made a wish at Yuuko's shop and a very twisted time loop is created? Yuuko can only grant Jet's wish to get out of the time loop by Jet getting Albert on a good, first date. Can Jet stop going on several bad, first dates with Albert? So, a little xxxHolic crossover- very minor.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Groundhog's Day and Several, Bad First Dates

Author: Sybil Rowan

Pairing(s)/Characters: Jet/Albert – come on, y'all know me by now.

Rating: M

Summary: What if Jet is stuck reliving his birthday over-and-over because Albert made a wish at Yuuko's shop and a very twisted time loop is created? Yuuko can only grant Jet's wish to get out of the time loop by Jet getting Albert on a good, first date. Can Jet stop going on several bad, first dates with Albert?- xxxHolic in the background.

Warnings: A few, mild swear words and some make out scenes. Really, I'm aiming for pure fun- comedy and romance.

Author's Notes: This is actually my hubby's idea. I loved it so much and decided to run with it. So anyway, Happy Birthday, Jet Link. I know other people have done birthday pieces for Jet, I hope mine brings some fun. I missed writing Cyborg 009 stuff so much. This was like a little homecoming for me. I do have this one plotted out and finished. I'm just fleshing it out, so you won't be left hanging.

Disclaimer: Cyborg 009 is owned by Shotaro Ishinomori. xxxHolic its names and characters, belong to CLAMP.

Beta Reader: WingedPanther73, not for the first chapter, though.

Date: Feburary 2, 2015, 8:28 am

Word Count: on going

"Yuuko-san?" Watanuki asked as he watched the gray-haired, German man leave the wish shop with slumped shoulders. It was raining and the man had only shook his head at Watanuki's proffered umbrella. He murmured, "That man, he was just so sad."

"He's in deep grieving over loosing a lover."

"If he's grieving loosing a lady, do you think he has good enough judgment to accept a wish? I mean, he might be so desperate that he'll accept anything without thinking it through," Watanuki pointed out waspishly as he closed the front door to the wish shop.

"One of the first things I told you, Watanuki was that the price couldn't be too great or too small. His wish will be fairly paid for by his intended lover, but he'll reap the reward from the young man he has his eye on," Yuuko said lackadaisically as she stretched out on her fainting couch and took a draw off her pipe. "You're dismissed for the evening."

Watanuki threw off the strange information. Why was she changing the gender of the "lover" and such. Wasn't the guy a widower? He had spied, after all. Watanuki didn't understand, and he had too much homework waiting on him to puzzle it out.

He put up some cleaning supplies and cooking utensils. He picked up the paper calendar on the end table close by Yuuko's elbow. She touched Watanuki's wrist and shook her head as he about tore the top sheet off: February 2nd. "Leave it."

Watanuki frowned and put the calendar back on the table. "Okay, Yuuko, but if you loose track of things then I'm not at fault," he said in his firm, authoritative tone.

Yuuko only chuckled and said, "Get some rest, Watanuki. Tomorrow will be one very, very, very long day."

* * *

Jet groaned as he sat up in bed and gingerly felt his forehead. This wasn't just a hangover; he felt a goose-egg bump on his forehead. "Ow... damn it! How'd this crap happen?"

He dragged himself out of bed and stumbled over to the mirror, smacking his dry mouth, not caring if Joe and Pyunma got pissed at him and woke up n their shared room. He was plenty pissed right now he couldn't remember yesterday evening so well.

Something about his birthday party at the Magic Pan...? Something about cake flying everywhere...? Francoise's crying...? GB smacking him with a ladle...? Gilmore nagging...? Something about Albert getting very pissed with him over something, he wasn't sure what. And then they were shouting at each other in the rain like idiots over what...? Oh and then something about seeing Junior's knuckles coming at him...? But then there was something about Joe's Maserati...? What was that something...?

That must be it! Junior punched him out at his own birthday party at the Magic Pan! That was not cool no matter what kind of an ass he'd been last night!

He threw on a tee-shirt and jeans, noting Joe and Pyunma were gone out of their shared room at Doctor Kozumi's house. He stormed out of his room, assuming they took Junior's side. How dare they!

He ran down the stairs and tripped on the last couple, spilling on the carpet, getting a rug rash on his nose. "Ow! Damn it!"

Suddenly, he was lofted in the air and righted on his feet. Junior looked down at him with a quirked eyebrow. There weren't too many people taller than lanky Jet; bulky Junior was one of them. It graded on Jet when they flew on airplanes back to America together because Junior always took up more than his fair share of the space on cramped quarters.

"Okay, you! Why the hell did you punch me at my party last night?" Jet raged. He knew Junior could pound him into a pulp, but he also knew the Navajo was the ultimate pacifistic when not facing the Black Ghost. That's why it made no sense that Junior had punched him.

Junior shook his head and looked at Jet as if he were slow witted. "Um... you're birthday party is tonight."

"What? No, no, no!" Jet shook his head vigorously. "I remember it clearly! Okay... maybe not so much... but there was a birthday party, and you punched me!"

"I've never punched you. Ever," Junior said slowly, giving Jet another look that made him feel as if he belonged in Bellevue.

He about argued, but Pyunma came in from his morning jog and brightly greeted them. Jet marched up to the hansom, ebony-skinned man and demanded, "You saw what happened last night! Tell him he ain't going to worm out of it because I tied one on!"

"What do you mean?" Pyunma asked looked equally baffled.

"I mean he punched me at my own birthday party!"

Pyunma's eyes went wide. He said slowly, "Um... Jet, Frances is throwing your party tonight. Today is..."

"Come on! I know what stinking day it is! I remember clear as a bell, Junior punched me. And..." Jet felt heat come to his face. He was not going to admit he didn't really remember all that much about last night. Now Junior and Pyunma were looking at each other as they had just heard the ramblings of a lunatic. "Cut it out, you two! That party last night sucked!"

"But today is February 2nd. It's Saturday and Frances and Chang planned your party for tonight," Pyunma explained.

"Stop trying to gaslight me! And where is that jerk, GB?! His ass is grass for smacking me last night!"

"Um... GB is at the Magic Pan helping get your party together," Junior said, his wide-eyed expression not changing a bit.

"Yeah, Jet. He just flew in from England three hours ago. He wasn't here last night. Albert went and picked up after he dropped the doctor's off at the university," Pyunma pointed out.

"What the hell are you babbling about! That twerp was at my stinking party last night!" Jet snarled with balled up fists. "Now stop fooling around!"

Pyunma held up his sports watch to Jet's face and pointed. "See? February 2nd."

Jet's ire drained into confusion. "But... then... how...?"

"Maybe you had a bad dream?" Pyunma suggested.

Jet rubbed his throbbing head and wandered off. Just barely catching Junior whisper to Pyunma, "Or a psychotic break."

He gritted his teeth and decided to retreat back to his bedroom he shared with Joe and Pyunma. After all, Pyunma was always armed so he didn't want to push his luck.

* * *

Later that afternoon, Jet turned on the television and was annoyed to see the noon news cast. He about changed it, but he was shocked when he noticed the news caster announced it was February 2nd. He shook his aching head and and changed the channel. The competing news cast said the same thing: February 2nd.

He turned off the television and ran to the kitchen. Chang's calender didn't have February 2nd marked off yet. He swirled and turned on the radio. According to a few different stations it was February 2nd. All Jet could figure was that he hit his head harder than he thought last nigh. But how did he hit his head?

"What's with the long face?"

Jet startled and looked over at Albert, who had managed to sneak up on him. He pointed at the German's nose and demanded, "What did we fight over last night at my birthday party?"

Albert's eyebrow quirked and he said in a baffled tone, "Um... your birthday party is tonight."

"Whatever! What were we arguing about last night?" Jet snapped.

Albert shrugged and said, "Well, nothing. As a matter of fact," then the older man gave him a sly smile, "we were getting along just fine. No cross words were exchanged between us for several hours, for once."

"What? What's going on, you smug bastard? Did you get Pyunma and Junior to play along with some prank? I mean, knock it off. I got hammered last night, to tell the truth, and probably showed my ass. No fair you taking advantage of it with some twisted prank!"

Albert's head jerked back slightly and then cocked to one side. "Jet, we only had a couple glasses of wine while watching one of your lame zombie movies: that Night of the Living Dead thing you're so fond of. That was all that went on last night. We stayed here, at Kozumi's, and didn't go out." Jet scowled and started pacing. He yelped when there was a sharp sting to his backside. "Well, a little making out half way through the movie did happen."

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?!" Jet snarled, rubbing his butt to alleviate Albert's offending swat. "We were at the Magic Pan for my birthday last night! And I certainly wouldn't make out with you, you jerk!"

"Um... Jet, today is your birthday," Albert said with the utmost earnest, almost looking as if was about to get irritated.

Jet's jaw dropped. Something bizarre was happening. "What did you do this morning?"

"Take the doctors to their lecture and pick up GB. I drove him over to the Magic Pan so they could finish decorating," Albert answered, getting baffled again. "I told you last night my plans for the day." Albert then waved his hand and said, "Listen, I have something to ask you."

"What's that?" Jet asked, getting weary, crossing his arms and furrowing his brow.

Jet was surprised to see Albert adopt a very serious expression as his back leaned against the kitchen counter and he crossed his arms. The older man was now just as defensive as Jet; he could read Albert pretty well after traveling with him for so long.

"I want to drive you to your party tonight, and I wanted to start spending more time with you. Peaceful time, like last night."

Jet tried to remember the last night Albert had described, but he couldn't. If he had two glasses of wine he would have certainly remembered making out with Albert, of all people. Jet knew he liked guy and he kept that a deep, deep, deep secret. And, well, Albert had been married to a lady, so them making out made no sense in Jet's brain. Still, why was Albert too friendly?

"Making out with you? Never!" Jet fumed, reverting to his comfort zone.

Then his ire drained away at the briefest flash of pain in Albert's eyes. Jet was always acute at reading people; living on the streets sharpened that. Living on the street also made him hard and mistrustful. Jet's mistrust was confirmed when Albert dismissively waved his hand and adopted a smug smirk. "Fine. Walk to your party. It's raining tonight and quite a few kilometers..."

"Kilometers?" Jet asked with testiness. He'd never heard the word before.

"Miles, for you Americans," Albert said and then strolled off.

Jet clenched his hands together and fought the desire to punch someone or something. He was determined to get to the bottom of this sick joke being played on him.

To be continued.


	2. Chapter 2

Part 2:

Jet sat up in bed and rubbed his sore forehead. He strained to remember what went on last night. Just flashes came to mind. There was him walking part way to the Magic Pan... in the pouring rain! There was Joe picking him up in the Maserati half way through the walk, and then they got to the Magic Pan, but had an argument...?

Cake was flying with chow mein...? Gilmore was bellowing in Jet's ear... about... being... what the... more sensitive...? Francoise sobbed hysterically and ran off with Joe stranding him? Joe was pissed off at him, he knew that much. GB did come at him with a ladle! He knew it! Junior's knuckle's came at his head... and well... did they really... fight...? And Joe's Maserati! What was it about that damn Maserati? And then he remembered arguing with Albert again... sort of... not really... getting drenched by the rain as they argued ferociously...?

Damn! A goose-egg bruise on his forehead again! Wait... again...? His birthday party was last night, but then what about the night before last...? He should have remembered something different, but all he could remember was the same, damn part!

He bolted from bed and ran out of his room and down the stairs, tripping over the last couple. His nose got carpet burn and he landed with an "umhp." He was lofted by Junior that gave him a concerned look. "You asshole! Why did you punch me?!" Jet demanded.

"What? I've never punched you," Junior replied placidly and confused.

"You did last night at my birthday party!"

"Um... your birthday party is tonight," Junior said in confusion.

Jet shook his head. "No! It was last night! Stop being a jerk and tell me why you socked me! I was smashed, but that was no reason." Jet waved a fist under the pacifist Navajo's nose.

"Good morning, guys," Pyunma called out. Jet shook his head, hoping this deja vu would go away. "Jet, what happened to your head and nose? You look terrible."

"You know what happened to me! Junior beat me up at my birthday party last night!"

Pyunma gave him a look as he had sprouted a third head. "Um... Your birthday party is tonight."

Jet shook his head vigorously. "No! I remember everything that happened! Knock it off! I'm not a chump! Did Heinrich put you up to this?"

Junior and Pyunma gave each other quirked eyebrows. It was the African man that said, "Um... Jet, you do realize today is Saturday."

"No, yesterday was Saturday!" Jet snapped. "There was a party for me at the Magic Pan, and he," Jet pointed at a confused Junior, "punched me! At my own party, for crying out loud!"

"Um... Jet, I've never laid a finger on you," the Navajo said.

"Then how do you explain this?" Jet asked, pointing to the goose-egg shaped bruise on his forehead.

Junior shrugged and said, "You were busy downstairs with Albert watching TV. Why don't you ask him?"

"Me spend time with Sour Kraut? Not a chance! Besides," Jet said, flinging his hands in the air, "I know I was at the Magic Pan last night at my birthday party!"

Pyunma held up his sports watch and pointed at the date. Jet let out a shocked gasp. He grabbed Pyunma's wrist as he read February 2nd.

Pyunma's took his wrist back and suggested, "You really should put some ice on that bump."

"Fine," Jet grumbled and stalked off.

It wasn't long before he heard Junior's wise-crack of, "Ice won't help his head problems."

He didn't turn around and confront them. He needed to figure out what went on last night.

* * *

Jet had stumbled across a note on his bedside table from Albert: Be back soon. Running the doctors to the university and picking up GB. Yours.

Ridiculous! As if he'd give a damn where Albert Heinrich was in the course of a day! He wasn't Albert's mama, so the old man could have saved himself the ink and paper. Jet balled up the note realizing his face was getting flushed. There was something else, wine and a black &amp; white movie...? Jet flinched back and stuffed the note in his jeans' pocket, not wanting to go further with that memory.

He went downstairs and turned on the television, hoping to distract himself from Junior and Pyunma's antics. His throat got dry when the news caster announced the date as February 2nd. He pushed the button on the remote for another news station. He shook his throbbing head when the attractive, lady news caster started her report by announcing it was February 2nd as well.

He turned off the television, trying to puzzle out why he remembered having a birthday party last night. He went to the the kitchen and did, indeed, get some ice for his forehead. His whole head was pounding! His headache got worse when he noticed Chang hadn't marked off February 2nd and the radio... it was the same as the television news casters as far as the date. He turned the radio off and sat with his face under the ice pack.

"So what happened to your forehead?"

Jet started and took down his make-shift ice pack. "As if you don't know! Somehow you made my birthday suck last night."

Albert gave him a baffled expression and finally said, "Um... Jet, tonight is your birthday."

"That's impossible! I remember it! Everyone treated me like I was acting like a jerk!"

"I'm sure it wasn't an act," Albert quipped with a smug smirk. Jet glared and was about to cuss out Albert, but the German man waved his hand in the air. His face got serious. "Really, Jet, your birthday party is tonight. You know, I'm kind of disappointed you don't remember last night."

Jet hopped up from the kitchen table and started pacing, feeling a scowl come to his face. What the hell was Albert implying? "There was was a party at the Magic Pan, and we spent time fighting in the parking lot, you damn fool! It was out in the rain and I borrowed Joe's car to get...!" Jet paused. That was a new detail! But where was he trying to get to...? Or rather... away from...?

"Jet, last night we spent our time watching a movie of your choice. It was that kooky thing: I Bury the Living. But, we didn't spend much time actually watching it." Jet frowned, that was a different detail than yesterday. Yesterday...?

"Wait! Just because I got plastered at my own birthday party doesn't give you a right to play this stupid joke on me."

Albert gave him a mildly annoyed expression. "The only thing we had to drink last night was a couple of glasses of wine. You were far from being plastered. We actually had a very good conversation, for once. No yelling or sour remarks."

Jet grew troubled when Albert's expression softened into a smile. The New Yorker started pacing and was startled when he felt his backside sting. He whirled around trying to rub away the offending sting. "Why did you smack my butt, you asshole!"

Albert snickered and said with an implication, "You didn't mind it last night."

"Now I know you're crazy! I'd never make out with a guy!" Jet lied, feeling his face blazing hot, now. He'd never, ever admit guys tripped his trigger. Beside, Albert was a widower; didn't that mean he liked chicks...?

Albert gave him a stern look and said, "Jet, I think it's time to stop these games we play. Let me drive you to your birthday party tonight. I want to start spending more time with you, like we did last night. What we talked about last night made me realize that..."

"No! No! No! Stop! I know what I know! I had my birthday last night and don't remember a damn thing that you claim went on with a movie and wine! I'd sooner walk to the Magic Pan in a thunderstorm than be alone in a car with you!"

Jet watched Albert stiffen. There was just the barest flash of pain in the older man's eyes, and a flare of guilt that erupted in Jet's chest. Jet knew he'd been needlessly nasty as the memory of clinking glasses and soft chuckles in a dim room came flooding back. Could he have had a nice evening with Albert...?

Before he could soften his attitude and inquire further, Albert shrugged. "Looks like you'll have that chance, considering the weather report. Take an umbrella. The Magic Pan is several kilometers away."

"Kilometers?"

"Miles for you Americans," Albert snapped in an icy tone and left.

Jet was left baffled at what was going on. Maybe the bump on his head was worse than he though. He felt the bump and shivered. What was the truth about last night, and why was Albert acting so strange towards him?

* * *

Jet amble down the sidewalk in the downpour as he made his way towards the Magic Pan. Junior, Pyunma, and Albert- along with the doctors later- all insisted his birthday party was tonight. He was going to show up and find out what was going on. His suspicion was that this was some elaborate joke. If it was, there would be hell to pay!

He suddenly stumbled by an empty lot and grabbed the wood fence to steady himself. He rose swearing a blue streak. He was surprised to see a teenage boy with eyes like Ivan's at the front gate: one blue, one brown. The boy extended an umbrella over Jet's head and said, "Yuuko-san said this was the one crack in the loop. You have to come in now or you may not have another chance for a cure."

"Chance?" Jet asked, starting to get vexed at the scrawny kid.

"You do want a cure for your deja vu? If so, come in and talk to Yuuko-san. Hurry because the crack is about to close!"

Jet bolted into the yard that had been an empty lot seconds ago, but now there was a large, old-fashioned house on the lot between skyscrapers. Jet murmured, "What the hell did I just get myself into?"

"There was a very large mistake a potential lover of yours made that only you can solve," a very sensual woman said from the covered front porch. She then looked at the boy with umbrella and said, "Watanuki, we have a customer. See to his comfort in the front parlor."

Suddenly, Jet felt like a fly in a spider's web.

To be continued.


	3. Chapter 3

Part 3:

"So now tell me what the hell is going on. You know something, don't you, Lady?" Jet snarled as a heterochromatic teen served him red wine, of all things. He was raised on cheap wines and homemade pastas because of his family's poverty. Back in 1961, that was considered food for the poor; now in 2021 that was considered "rich people's" food- well, expensive wine and chef-made pasta.

He had been sired from Italian grandparents who were immigrants to America a while before he was born; he always considered himself very American, though. He did have a fondness for wines because of his family's traditions; it was about the only thing he wanted to keep as a tradition from his crummy family.

His dark thoughts over his abusive family shifted towards Ivan. He remembered it wasn't polite to stare at miss-matched eyes as the teen, named Watanuki, tried to serve him some fancy, Japanese hors devors. Jet shook his head, more focused on the wine.

"You are having difficulties moving past your birthday. You're trapped in a small sliver of time, and you'll keep reliving the same twenty-three hours, fifty-nine minutes, and fifty-nine seconds over and over," Yuuko said. She was the woman who owned this strange shop. She picked up her glass of wine and took a demure, savoring sip. Jet had scoffed when she had claimed this was a wish shop; he still felt this woman was just like a sideshow act at some strange carnival.

"Listen, I got a bump on my head yesterday, but that doesn't mean I'm a dumb candy-ass that believes in wishes. And I'm not a PSYCHO!" Jet howled, but then gulped down his glass of wine. He held out the glass towards the teen with the bottle. The heterochromatic teen filled the glass again, and then respectfully stood behind Yuuko's fainting couch where she lounged.

Under her hard gaze Jet admitted, "Okay, okay, I seem to remember the same day over and over, but each time it's slightly different. Details like the movie I watched or conversations I had are slightly different, but it's always the same type of things happening. It's happened twice now."

The wish shop owner sipped her wine and said, "You've actually relived the same day fifty-three times."

"What?! How's that?! Fifty-three times?!"

"Yes, and you're about to fall back into the loop and relive your very horrible birthday, yet again. Complete with a hangover and that special bruise on your head," she informed him in a firm, but bland way.

Jet gulped down his glass of wine, letting what she said sink in. His eyes narrowed. "Wait a minute. I never told you today was my birthday in the first place." Then Jet shook his head in confusion. "No, it can't be. Yesterday... was my... birthday..." He then looked at the paper calender on the end table and swallowed hard when he read February 2nd. "Wait a minute... but I know it's February 3rd! I'm just going to go to the Magic Pan and call him on this stupid prank."

"Who would that be!"

"That rotten bastard, Albert Heinrich, that's who! He's somehow convinced everyone I know to play along with his sick joke."

"So you still don't believe you'll have the same terrible night, wake up tomorrow, and relive the same day all over, Jet Link?" Yuuko asked not thawing her stern expression. "So did Herr Heinrich go to all the news stations in Japan and get them to play this prank, too? The radio stations as well?"

Now Jet felt dumbfounded and a little embarrassed. "Okay, you have a point, Lady. But how did you know about the TV and stuff? How did you know I was trying to figure this all out using the news?"

She gave a slight smirk, another sip of wine, and then said, "Someone you know made a wish and paid the price for it fifty-three days ago, in spite of the great cost. It was a tremendous wish he asked that I grant, but he willingly accepted the price."

Jet swallowed and obnoxiously waved on another glass of wine. He gulped it down and got another refill from Watanuki. He said, "Alright, who convinced you to go along with this joke? It was him, Heinrich, wasn't it?"

Jet watched Yuuko's crimson eyes drift towards the end table with the paper calender. He gasped now noticing a silver chain with a dented, gold wedding band on it like a damaged pendant. Jet felt cold dread come over him as the color drained from his face. Albert never took that off.

He tried to dismiss the presence of the necklace as a fluke, or that his head was just starting to get buzzy, and he was starting to feel lightheaded. "No... that's his. He'd never let that go. Not ever! For any reason."

"He used it to save your life once when facing 0011. That's how it got dented. Now it's being used to put your life in stasis because of your stubborn nature. As long as you reject him, you'll be trapped in the place you are now."

"Yes, but," Jet fumbled, his mind numb, "he still wore it after that night he fought 0011. But then," Jet shook his head in confusion, "he wasn't wearing it last night when we were watching a movie. Wait! I kind of remember watching a movie with him, but it's so fuzzy. We didn't have that much wine! Speaking of which..." He held out his glass and Watanuki refilled it, giving him a cross look.

"That's because it's the start of the loop." She then turned her head towards the teenager now standing behind her couch. "Take note, Watanuki, the beginnings are never clear, but the ending memories are always sharpest in a time loop."

Jet had no idea what she was talking about, but the heterochromatic teen just nodded as he opened another wine bottle. She then looked at Jet again and said, "So you aren't fond of this time loop?"

"No, I ain't! This is like being back with the..." Jet clamped his mouth shut quickly and sipped on his wine in spite of his buzz. "Never mind," he mumbled.

"The Black Ghost?"

Jet's stomach fluttered in panic. "How do you know about them? And also... how did you know about 0011? Do you know what I am?" he asked in a shaky voice.

"You feel trapped, once again, in a life not of your choosing," she said. "And, yes, it was done by Albert Heinrich. He had me cast the wish."

"So he trapped me in some sort of demented time loop, if I was to believe you, Lady? I'm not sayin' I do, but... well... I've had some strange things happen to me in my life. Hey! And wait a minute! The Black Ghost?! I never once said a thing about them, either. Heinrich knows better than to spill that information to a stranger."

Then, every sort emotional pain he'd experienced since coming in contact with the Black Ghost flared up. If this whole thing was true, Albert had committed the ultimate betrayal Jet could ever feel. He had put Jet in a type of supernatural cage, and Jet's heart always beat fiercely against being caged.

"Why? Why would he do this to me?" Jet raged and gulped down more wine, his head getting fuzzier. "Why would he give you his wife's wedding ring for a wish? That's very important to him. There is nothing more important to him than that ring." Jet was embarrassed by his bitter tone he couldn't contain; it made his feelings too obvious.

Why was his jaw clenched and his eyes getting watery? He wasn't some stupid candy-ass! He swiped his sleeve across his face and shook his head at his irrational fantasies that kept trying to force themselves into his awareness. Jet said through clenched teeth and with balled up fists, "There's not anything more important to him than her! Her name was Hilde! If this is a wish shop, why didn't he wish her alive?"

"She is extremely important to him, but he knows the truth of this: once someone is dead, they can never return. The living must continue on and find a way to find a return to joy, or at least, comfort."

"So your saying Heinrich is putting aside his past?"

"Not entirely. The reason he asked me to create this time loop was because something happens to you at midnight on your birthday. The same thing that had happened to his wife. His heart couldn't bear the same pain twice, so he found my shop and made the wish."

"What do you mean the same thing happened to his wife?"

"You know, but you won't connected it until later, but now I want my payment for breaking the time loop."

"What the hell?" Jet said as the blood rushed away to his face. Then he sneered, "What the hell do you want, Lady?!"

"Your pride. You have to stop rejecting his overtures at romance. Otherwise, you'll be trapped for a very, very, very long time. As you progress through the time loop, you must change the things that certainly happen over and over."

"Like what?"

"You'll know as you change the day as it occurs. Start with something small and work your way up to accepting that date he offered you."

"What?! Date? No fucking way!"

"You can't do much better." Then Yuuko chuckled. "I mean, with your temperament, it's not like you have a lot of choices in romantic partners. Besides, Herr Heinrich isn't horrible looking; you could certainly do a lot worse."

"Hey, just because he's got a... Never you mind, Lady!" Jet shook his dizzy head and said, "Let me get this straight. To get out of this time loop thing I have to go on a date with that jerk?"

"Not just any date. A good, first date. One that will lead to more. The price for this wish is giving up your pride and accepting him. Your pride is something you cling onto with tenacity. You consider it the only thing not stolen from you by the Black Ghost, therefore, it's the only thing of value you posses and can use to pay the price. From now on, you'll start clearly remembering each time you relive this day. You need to take control and change details, slowly. All the ones you say repeat themselves, change those, until you can bring yourself to accept his company for one blissful night."

Jet growled, set aside his empty glass of wine, and stood on wobbly feet. "Me and Albert? What do you think I am? I ain't like that! It ain't happenin', Lady!"

Jet stormed out of the wish shop grinding his teeth, his blood just rushing in anger. How would that woman know about what was deep in the pit of his stomach? She knew too much, and it was spooking him. Could she be right? No, he shook his head furiously as he ran to the sidewalk.

Rain had started, and he was starting to get drenched. He looked behind him and gasped when he saw an empty lot where the wish shop had stood. He started trembling and then started when a car horn blew. He flinched and swirled to see Joe in his Maserati.

Joe's window lowered slightly. "Come on, Jet. Get out of the rain. Everyone is expecting you at the Magic Pan."

Jet shivered and asked dryly, dreading Joe's answerer, "Why are they expecting me?"

Joe gave a warm smile and opened up the passenger door. "Your birthday party, of course."

Jet's stomach clenched as he got into Joe's car. "Yeah... my birthday party, of course."

* * *

"Oh... not again..." Jet murmured, sitting up in his bed and rubbing the fresh sore on his forehead.

To be continued.


	4. Chapter 4

Part 4:

He remembered everything now. All fifty-three previous days, plus, now, thirty-eight more. All ninety-one days were the same, pretty much, except for the details about movies and conversation and things like that. Just slight changes each time, but he was trying to influence them more and more like the crazy witch had told him. Like she had said, this was very slow going. He was determined to speed this up!

He slipped off his guest bed with a dizzy head and looked around. Just like what he knew! Joe and Pyunma were already gone and starting their day; he was alone in their shared guest room at Kozumi's house.

That's when the memory of Junior punching him came to his mind in a heavy fog. Instead of just getting pissed off over the punch, he tried to remember why he had received it. It struck him like a bolt from the blue! He had ran his mouth and insulted everyone at his birthday party, indeed, but that's not why Junior had punched him. Jet had almost stepped in front of Joe's speeding Maserati, and Junior was trying to quickly get him out of the car's path, not to mention get some sense knocked into Jet.

Jet had been too emotional, and too drunk, when he stepped onto the rain-slicked street in front of The Magic Pan. Jet's temper had been blown because Albert had been criticizing him all during the party, so his attention was not on his surroundings. Jet suddenly felt wonderful! Junior hadn't been trying beat the snot out of him for being a jerk after all!

He bolted downstairs, but halted before he reached those last few stairs. He steadied himself with the hand railing and saw Junior at the foot of the stairs. The American-Indian was holding two airline tickets. This is the first time Jet had noticed that. He avoided the bump on the carpet that had tripped him for the last ninety times. He stepped in front of Junior and asked, "What are those?"

"Airline tickets. You asked if I'd get one for you, too, last night since I was getting one for the 4th."

"Last night?" Jet asked, starting to remember pounding on Junior, GB, and Albert's shared room down the hallway around one o'clock. Only Junior had been there and he had pleaded with the American-Indian to take him back home, too. Something about Albert had upset him while they had watched a movie and sipped wine, but for the life of him, he couldn't remember what.

Junior looked a little baffled, but said, "Yes, we leave in two days. My layover is in New York for a day, and then I'll go on to Phoenix."

"Yeah, yeah," Jet snapped. The arrangement was nothing new, since they were both from North America. Frequently, Francois, Albert, and GB traveled together back to Europe, and Joe and Chang traveled to Asia together. Pyunma was on his own, but he didn't seem to mind. "Okay, big guy, what is today?"

Junior blinked at Jet a few times. He answered slowly, "It's February 2nd. I thought you'd remember that."

"Yeah, but this bump on my noggin you gave me is not cool!" Jet said, pointing to his forehead.

Junior shook his head. "You don't have an injury."

"Hun? But you pun... Never mind!" Jet snapped, gritting his teeth. But then it struck him. That memory of Junior punching him no longer existed. He felt his forehead; no throb, no sting.

"I'm sure your brain is still there," Pyunma teased in a good-natured way. Obviously, he was in a good mood.

Jet scowled as the African man came through the front door from his jog. "Oh very funny, you jerk! Listen, tell me what day it is!"

Pyunma glanced over to Junior, who just shook his head and sighed. Pyunma held up his wrist with a sports watch that read 02-02-2025. He then chided, "You better get it together. Francois has a big night planned, along with Chang. I didn't think you and Albert had all that much to drink last night. I mean, you seemed aggravated about something he'd said. Anyway, he told me he was going to talk with you after the party tonight."

"You mean a birthday party?" Jet shook his head in dread.

Pyunma and Junior both started looking on the edge of perturbed. The ebony skinned man said, "It's been planned out for two months so you can't miss it."

"I don't want a party, and where is Heinrich?! He said something last night that pissed me off and he's going to answer for it!"

Junior sighed again and handed Jet his plane ticket home. "He's out picking up the doctors and GB. He's taking them to the university and GB to The Magic Pan. He told you that last night at dinner, and you didn't care then."

"Well I care now! I need to talk to him. It's really important," Jet pleaded to the two second generation cyborgs.

"You'll just have to wait. Get some breakfast. He'll be back soon," Pyunma urged.

Jet's smart mouth wanted to run, but he was amazed there were starting to be small changes. He just nodded and wandered off. To his delight, there were no ridiculing comments behind his back from the two. That was another change!

He took a side trip to the living room and resisted turning on the television with the the remote. Looking at it only told him the same thing day-in-day-out. It was February 2nd and that wasn't changing, at least today. Jet clenched his fist and vowed he'd break out of this twisted time trap. It had something to do with Albert and swallowing his pride. Alright! He'd figure it out.

Jet went to the kitchen and waited. He knew Albert would be along by lunch. Eleven-fifty-three, every damn day. Jet didn't bother to turn on the radio on this day; it would only disgust him when they would announce it was February 2nd yet again.

Albert came sauntering in right on time. He gave Jet a friendly smile he hadn't noticed before. That was certainly new... or had it been? Jet couldn't figure it out. "Hey, Albert?"

"Hm? No more 'Heinrich'? What's with that?" Albert murmured and started digging around in the refrigerator for some of Chang's leftover dim sum.

Jet about shook his head vigorously and bellowed insults, instead, he had to know something. "About last night..."

Jet paused watching Albert come over to the table with two plates of Chinese dumplings. He placed one in front of Jet, and Jet couldn't be more shocked. Jet took an offered pair of chopsticks and gave Albert's smile a suspicious look. Why was the German man being so damn nice to him?! Albert then prompted, "You were about to ask something about last night?"

"Yeah... um..." Jet gulped down a delightful dumpling. He took a blind stab in the dark in hopes of drawing out what had lead up to this whole mess in the first place. He asked sly, "So, did you mean what you said last night?"

Albert paused chewing up a dumpling and gave Jet a quirked eyebrow. "You know I don't say anything I don't mean. Why are you asking?"

"Because it didn't seem like you."

"So you pointed out. After all, I don't agree to watch silly movies you like every night."

"And what did we watch?"

"Something called 'Plan 9 from Outer Space'. It was a new low, even for you," Albert declared before finishing his lunch. That confirmed things were changing. Jet hated that movie, so he must have picked it for some reason in particular. If he was able to influence things, great! Now what?

Jet picked up the dishes off the table, wanting to get away from Albert and think about what to do to changed this time loop next. He walked off only to feel that ninety-first slap on his rump from Albert. At this point, he'd normally call Albert every filthy name he could think of.

Instead he felt just too exhausted today to rise to the bait. He turned, sighed in defeat, and said, "Alright, what do you want, Albert?"

"I told you last night, a proper date. No more sneaking around and pointless flirting. Let's go to your birthday party together."

Jet shook his head vigorously. "I don't understand what's got into you. Why me?"

Albert's expression grew very serious. "Think over what you told me last night. If what you said was truthful, then you'll accept my offer."

Jet was hesitant, but he had to change things to get out of this crazy business. He didn't know what he had said to Albert, he still couldn't remember that part, but he had to get out of this. He nodded. "Fine. I'll do it."

Albert lips twisted wryly. He said sarcastically, "Your enthusiasm is underwhelming. Maybe you'll be more receptive when I pick you up at six."

With that, Albert left. The German's mood seemed to have soured and grown frosty. Jet scowled in response and wondered what he'd done. He flopped back in his chair at the table and howled, fumbling around to get off his bruised butt.

"Damn! That gun hand IS hard! That jerk..." he groused.

* * *

Jet jerked awake and looked around his shared guest room and was leery when he saw he was alone in the morning. He felt his forehead. Nope, no bruise there and he couldn't remember Junior punching him last night anymore, just that Junior had done it in the past part of the time loop. Great! Progress! But... oh... it was still a wild night and he had a feeling this wasn't February 3rd yet.

He got out of bed and went downstairs. He paused and avoided tripping on the loose carpet. Junior was there, holding two plane tickets. Jet groaned after he asked, "What are those?"

And then Junior answered, "Tickets. You asked if I'd get one for you, too, last night."

"Why did I ask for those? I got hammered and don't remember asking for them."

"You were upset about something you and Albert talked about last night. But you did want to stay for your birthday party, so..."

"I know! I know! My birthday party is tonight! Right?!"

Junior looked in wide-eyed surprise at Jet's outburst, but nodded. "It's why I scheduled our take off time on the morning of the 4th." After a long pause, Junior asked, "Are you okay? You don't look so well."

Jet then swirled around and stuck his finger under Pyunma's nose as he came in from his jog. The African man looked shocked. Jet then threatened, "I've had enough insults from you and Junior over the last three months so keep your mouth shut!"

Junior and Pyunma gave each other wary looks, but kept quiet on this morning. Good!

With that, Jet stormed off to the kitchen to puzzle out what had gone wrong until Albert would come in for lunch. He had accepted a date with Albert, hadn't he? Wasn't that what was suppose to happen? Oh wait... Wasn't it supposed to be a good date? Something told him it had been a disaster and he was back to the drawing board.

To be continued.


End file.
